


Definitely not a crush

by Queerklancing



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Blade of Marmora Keith (Voltron), Fluff, Flustered Lance (Voltron), I had some feelings about Red Paladin Keith, M/M, Oblivious Lance (Voltron), Pining Lance (Voltron), Post S4, Red Paladin Lance (Voltron), flirty keith
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-19
Updated: 2018-01-19
Packaged: 2019-03-06 23:52:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,892
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13422273
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Queerklancing/pseuds/Queerklancing
Summary: „Hey Hunk?“„Hm?“Lance inspects the nails on his right hand as he talks. He can only really see from one eye because one of his cheeks is squished against Hunk’s chest.„Do you think it’s possibly to miss someone you hate?”





	Definitely not a crush

**Author's Note:**

> This is a really short fic I just suddenly came up with! Atfer rewatching season 4 I had some INTENSE Red Paladin Keith feels and I just needed to get them out of my system! And what's a better way to do this than projecting those feelings onto a pining, oblivious Lance? It's the first time I ever wrote something so short that I just whipped up and to my own suprise I really REALLY like this one a lot :D
> 
> I'm so grateful for all the love and support I got from you guys in the last year, and I'm looking forward to share all the new projects I'll work on this year with all of you! :D

„Hey Hunk?“

„Hm?“

Lance inspects the nails on his right hand as he talks. He can only really see from one eye because one of his cheeks is squished against Hunk’s chest.

„Do you think it’s possibly to miss someone you hate?”

Lance feels how Hunk tenses next to him and stops typing.

“Is this about Keith?”

“No!” Lance sputters immediately.

“Dude, who else could it be?” Hunk chuckles, and goes back to type at the tablet.

Lance turns his head and pushes his nose into Hunk’s chest.

“Iverson?” he tries, and a second later he feels the vibrations of Hunk’s laugh.

“Ugh! Fine!” Lance groans and dramatically flops back against the headrest of the sofa. “Maybe it is Keith.”

“Don’t be embarrassed, man,” Hunk says, reaching out with one hand to pat Lance’s head. “We all miss him.”

“I’m not embarrassed,” Lance barks, and swats Hunk’s hand away. That gets him a wide-eyed confused look and Hunk’s full attention. Lance groans again and swings his legs down from the sofa as he sits up.

“Hey, what’s wrong?”

And there it is: the gentle and concerned tone in Hunk’s voice that Lance loves and fears. Because although he’s seeking advice, he doesn’t want to admit that something is bothering him.

“I don’t know,” Lance sighs, cradling his head in his hands. “It’s just …. It’s so  _weird_  without him here.”

Lance wants to curse the moment he feels how a big lump forms in his throat, and the gentle hand Hunk places on his back sure isn’t helping.

“I know,” Hunk whispers. “As weird as it sounds I also miss your constant fighting,” Hunk chuckles and it steals a small laugh from Lance’s lips.

“Do you think,” Lance starts, but his voice breaks and he has to swallow. “Do you think he’ll stay with the Blade?”

Hunk says nothing for a second, only rubbing small circles into Lance’s back.

“Honestly, I don’t know.”

Lance closes his eyes and feels something tight settle in his stomach.

“But, I hope he will come back once he’s done with the mission there,” Hunk adds. “And it’s not like we don’t see him at all! The Blade is still working with us after all!”

Lance looks up at that and he’s greeted with a warm smile and soft eyes.

“I’m sure we’ll see him soon and then you’ll be annoyed with him in a heartbeat,” Hunk says and laughs.

Lance can’t fight the smile tugging at his lips.

“Do you really think so?”

“Absolutely.”

 

* * *

 

 

Hunk was wrong.

A week passed.

And another.

And there was still no sign from the Blades. Or Keith.

Lance really, _really_  doesn’t have a clue why it bothers him so much. He knows that he doesn’t hate Keith. Not after everything they’ve been through. He trusts Keith, and he likes to believe that Keith feels the same way. At this point their rivalry is just fun and maybe that’s all there is to it: Lance misses making fun of Keith.

But that doesn’t explain why he feels downright  _miserable_. Like there’s an aching hole in his chest that can’t be filled no matter what. And for a second Lance thinks that he might … that he might have a  _crush_  on Keith. But he had crushes before and they never felt like this.

Yeah, he can’t stop looking at Keith, but he also can’t stop fighting with him. And it’s not like his heart jumps out of his throat every time he sees him - okay maybe once or twice – The point is:  Lance knows what a crush feels like and this definitely isn’t one.

Maybe it’s just because the original team feels so scattered right now. He’s no longer the blue paladin, Keith is gone and Allura flies Blue. That are a lot of changes to take in. Maybe he needs something to ground him. Something that will be a sign that he’s the red paladin now. Not Keith.

That’s why Lance finds himself in front of Keith’s room at the end of the day. He hesitates for only a second but then he enters. The door whooshes open and the lights flicker on to reveal an empty room.

Lance doesn’t know what he expected, but the sinking feeling in his stomach is definitely not what he wants. He quickly passes the room, eyes fixed on his target, and opens the closet.

And there it is.

The armor of the Red paladin. Keith’s armor.

Lance hesitantly reaches out, finger softly caressing the familiar material. He knew that Keith left it at the castle, but the sight still feels like a stab in the gut.

Lance takes a deep breath.

It shouldn’t rot away like this.

 

* * *

 

When Lance shows up for the meeting in the next morning he’s greeted with wide eyes and confused looks. He steels himself for the questions, dread twisting his stomach into a tight mess, but the only reaction he gets is a pat on the back by Shiro, an amused sigh from Pidge and a gentle smile from Allura.

“Are you ready for the big show today, red paladin?” Allura asks, lips spreading into an even wider smile.

Lance returns it with the same eager.

“Let’s razzle dazzle!”

 

* * *

 

Lance is wearing his armor.

Keith stares at the display in front of him with wide eyes. He’s well aware that he’s completely frozen in the middle of the control room, but he can’t move. Not when Lance is on the display, and  _he_ _’s wearing Keith_ _’s armor._

“These shows sure are a little … extravagant, but it seems like they’re working,” Kolivan speaks up next to Keith, startling him out of his rigor.

“Really?” Keith says, clearing his throat when his voice comes out a little squeaky. His heart is racing a mile per minute, and he can’t quite place the tingling feeling in his stomach.

“Yes, look at this,” Kolivan says, throwing up a map at the screen, and Lance’s smiling face disappears. Keith heart sinks instantly, but he tries to concentrate on the constellations in front of him instead.

“All the green spots are areas we recaptured, thanks to prince Lotor’s intel as well.”

Keith pulls a grimace at the sound of that name. He still doesn’t trust that guy. But he  _has_  been a huge help in the fight against the empire.

“I think …,” Kolivan starts and then he pauses as his eyes flick to Keith’s face. “The Blade is doing well. We gained a lot of new allies, and have enough men to cover all the upcoming missions.”

“That’s great,” Keith says, a smug smile on his lips. Their hard work finally payed off.

Kolivan sighs as he turns to look properly at Keith, and the gesture make Keith’s eyebrows shoot up in surprise.

“What I mean is,” Kolivan starts, putting a gentle hand on Keith’s shoulder. “I think it’s time for you to make a decision.”

 

* * *

 

“Guysguysguysguysguys!” Hunk yells as he comes running into the control room at full speed, sliding over the floor as he tries to come to a halt.

“Woah, Hunk, buddy. What’s wrong?” Lance asks, hands hovering over Hunk’s exhausted form. He flinches back in surprise when Hunk’s head whips up from his hunched over stance, revealing a beaming smile.

“Keith is here.”

Lance hands drop to his side, and he’s distantly aware that the others are reacting to Hunk’s news, but his own feelings are overshadowing any other input. His stomach is a nervous tingling mess, and at the same time his chest feels unbearably tight.

Before his body and soul have the time to digest this information, the door slides open with a loud whoosh. Lance flinches, and turns.

And there he is.

Keith, walking into the room - still looking  _ridiculously_  pretty in his new battle suit - wearing a hesitant but warm smile that makes Lance’s stomach drop and his heart soar.

“Hey guys,” Keith says, lifting one hand in a greeting, and then he’s engulfed in a big hug from both Pidge and Hunk.

He looks like all the breath is being pressed out of his lungs, but he still looks so  _happy_  that Lance can’t believe it’s really him.

“Good to see you again, Keith,” Shiro says and embraces Keith in another warm hug.

And when Allura also walks up to Keith to greet him, and dark eyes finally meet his gaze, Lance realizes that he still hasn’t moved an inch.

“Wh-What is it mullet? Do you want a hug from me too?” Lance scoffs, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

He sees how Allura rolls her eyes, and sees how Hunk’s face twists into an annoyed expression, but the only thing he really registers is the playful smile on Keith’s lips.

“Oh, come on, Lance. Don’t try to fool me. I know you missed me.”

And wow okay, maybe that sends hot embarrassment into Lance’s cheeks.

“Yeah, maybe in your dreams,” Lance laughs instead, waving Keith off with a flick of his hand.

“Really now? Then why are you wearing my armor?”

Lance freezes, and his heart skips a beat.

“W-Well,” Lance starts, and his voice breaks, so he clears his throat. He hears how Pidge giggles, but he pointedly ignores her. “W-We decided that it would only confuse our fans if my armor doesn’t match my lion!”

Lance puffs out his chest. Oh, this is  _good_. He  _can_  be a quick thinker when it’s neces-

“Then why doesn’t Allura wear the blue one?”

Lance’s stomach drops to the ground.

“Ummmmmmmmm,” he says, but his mouth can’t form any coherent words, and the playful smile on Keith’s face is getting wider and wider - and  _prettier_ , if that’s even  _possible_  -and Lance’s head is probably fuming by now with how hot his cheeks feel.

“Well, it’s not like I really care,” Keith suddenly says as he shrugs, and Lance flinches when Keith takes a few steps forward, easily crossing the distance between them.

“But I' afraid that I'll need this back, now that my mission with the Blade is over,” Keith says, his eyes shining brightly as he taps his knuckles against Lance’s chest plate.

His words need a second to sink in, and once realization dawns on Lance’s face, Keith’s lips spread into a warm smile.

“You’re coming back?” Lance whispers.

“If you still want me, then yeah,” Keith answers and if Lance isn’t going completely insane, there’s a soft blush on Keith’s cheeks.

Lance wets his lips and opens his mouth.

“Of course we do!” Hunk screams instead, and Pidge chimes in. Lance’s eyes flicker up to them for a second and sees the two of them in a tight embrace, jumping up and down.

His gaze returns to Keith and Lance’s heart leaps into his throat when he sees the soft look in Keith’s eyes.

“I guess it’s settled then,” Keith chuckles, and finally Lance finds his voice again.

“Seems like it,” he answers with a smile.

“Although it’s really a shame,” Keith suddenly hums, placing a finger on his lips in thought.

“What is?” Lance asks, bewildered.

“Red, really suits you,” Keith says, his white teeth flashing as he grins, wide and playful.

And when Keith laughs out loud as Lance stutters - cheeks burning furiously in embarrassment - Lance learns that apparently, being in love feels completely different from having a crush. 

**Author's Note:**

> After this Lance and Keith become boyfriends and they both pilot Red in turns or something! :D


End file.
